A dog eating festival which has faced controversy across the world could be the catalyst for a rabies epidemisc.

The Yulin Dog Meat Festival has been going since the 1990s, when thousands gather to kill and consume canines as part of a celebration.

The festival, which starts this weekend in the town of Guangxi Zhuang, south central China, has been criticised by everyone from animal rights groups like PETA to celebrities like Welsh singer Duffy and comedian Ricky Gervais for its cruelty.

But there's more of a risk at stake than might have been imagined by attendees, as Yulin has one of the highest incidences of rabies in the world according to Duo Duo Animal Welfare Project, who have started a petition against the event.

Festival of horror: Many stolen animals are burned alive and killed in the streets of Yulin, with torture forming part of the fun (Image: Getty)

The petition explains: "The Yulin government itself admitted in 2007 that the city was one of the hardest hit by rabies outbreaks.

"Based on the toll the disease is taking on the health of the city’s residents, the authorities in Yulin should be doing everything they can to prevent the spread of the disease.

"Given the national government’s policy on rabies prevention and control, [going ahead with] it might even be construed as wanton contempt and total negligence of the public.

"In the interest of public health, disease prevention, and enforcement of the national government’s policies, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government should put an end to the event."

Many stolen animals are burned alive and killed in the streets of Yulin, with torture forming part of the fun.

Thousands of domestic pet dogs and cats are transported for hundreds of miles in cramped lorries and when they get to their destination they can be beaten with hammers, run over with vehicles and torn limb from limb.

The city government has resisting axing the festival of cruelty, in spite of other events falling down.